Pathway and landscape lighting are known for providing light sources for gardens, walkways, and the like. LEDS (light emitting diodes) have become increasingly popular over the years as a light source since the LEDs have become more cost effective as well as provide for low power consumption and longer life over standard light bulbs, and the like. However, a single LED is still known to emit low levels of light which are impractical for providing sufficient light for gardens and walkways.
The prior art has used clusters of LED (light emitting diodes) together to generate light in pathway and landscape lighting. See for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. D574,532 to Lee et al., 7,204,608 to Beeman et al. and 7,021,787 to Kuelbs (column 10).
However, there are additional problems with the cluster based prior art. FIG. 1 shows a side view of a traditional ground based pathway/landscape light 1 with light source 20 including a centrally located cluster of closely spaced LEDS. The central light source is located on a bottom facing surface 12 underneath a cover 10. An upper end of a light shade lens 30 is also attached to the bottom facing mount surface 12. The light shade lens 30 can have a bottom end attached to a ground engaging post 40 that can additionally have a spiked end that is inserted into the ground to support the pathway/landscape light 1.
FIG. 2 shows the light emissions on a ground surface using a cluster landscape light source. Users have complained about the undesirable shadow spot effects on the ends of each of the surface striking light beams that are emitted from the cluster based landscape lights.
Additionally, users have complained about the light emissions having different levels of illumination on the ground with parts of the light beams. FIG. 2 shows the illumination effects create different levels of brightness on the surface being illuminated. Some of the light emissions are extremely bright and harsh while other parts of the light emissions are very dim. As a result of the dark spots and different levels of illumination of brightness, a ground surface may not be adequately illuminated so that walkers using the path will not have enough light to see obstructions in the path.
Attempts have been made to use other type of arrangements of LEDs for pathways and walkways. See for example, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2006/0203471 to Hodges et al.; 2005/002183 to Wardzala. Hodges is limited to a single linear line of LEDs that projects a line of light. Wardzal uses a ring of LEDs to emit light in a horizontal radial direction. None of the known prior art uses LEDs to direct light in beneath a dome lens covered pathway and landscape light source, where the light is intended to be emitted in a 360 degree direction from the pathway/landscape light. None of the prior art would solve the problem of eliminating shadow effects and different levels of brightness in the light emissions being generated therefrom.
Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art.